Changing X-mas to Christmas

There are many characters in the Christmas story.We have Mary, Joseph, the Wise Men, the Angels, the Shepherds, the Priests and Herod.But the CENTRAL FIGURE of CHRISTMAS is Jesus Christ.

Christ is the reason for the season.

Christ is Christmas.

Without Christ, there would have been no Christmas to celebrate.

But today most people do not celebrate Christmas.What they celebrate, actually, is X-MAS.

X means UNKNOWN.

·In Mathematics X stands for an UNKNOWN QUANTITY/VARIABLE:1+X=10.

·In TV advertisements X stands for an UNKNOWN BRAND: Brand X.

·X stands for an UNKNOWN PERSON:Mrs. X, Mr. X, etc.

X-Mas, therefore, implies the following ideas:

1. The show must go on even without Christ.It is like celebrating a Birthday without the Celebrant.For many people the celebration is more important than the Person to whom the celebration is for.

2. Christ is not important in Christmas. For some people what is important is what they can get out of Christmas. The common understanding of X-mas is getting. The true meaning of Christmas is giving.X-mas makes people selfish, self-centered. “Where’s my gift?” (“Paskua ko?”) is the common greeting. X-mas is the time for hunting maninoys and maninays!

4. It could also be a deliberate attempt to remove Christ from Christmas.Just like what Herod of old wanted to do. Santa Claus has, unfortunately, removed Christ from many Christmases.

The true meaning of Christmas is many times buried in the non-essential elements of the celebration.The meaning of Christmas is lost in X-mas.

The question is WHAT ARE YOU CELEBRATING EVERY DECEMBER? CHRISTMAS OR X-MAS?

HERE are a few suggestions on HOW TO CELEBRATE the true CHRISTMAS:

At 12 midnight of December 24 gather your family around the table (or wherever) and read the Biblical account of the first Christmas found in Matthew 1 and 2and Luke 1 and 2). Pray, thanking God for sending His Son to us to save us from our sins.Do this every Christmas and your children will grow up knowing the true meaning of Christmas.

Give your best Christmas gift to your worst enemy.

Every December you always receive, why not give this time?

Repent of your sins and accept Christ into your life.

Rededicate your life to God this Christmas.

Conclusion:Christmas is about giving gifts.God gave his best gift to the world (John 3:16), now it’s time to give your best gift to God.

Part of the song says

What gift can you give Christ?
If I were a shepherd, I will give him a lamb,
If I were a wise man, I will do my part,
But what can a poor man like me give?
I can give him my heart.